AmeriCorps: Not just an ordinary volunteer group

Debra D. Bass

Monday, Oct. 28, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

Lawrence Peppers was determined to "retire to his patio" after a career in civil service spanning more than two decades.

Instead, he rolls out of bed at 5 a.m. most days and drives across town to school -- elementary school.

"I've made a commitment to these kids to be here and ready to work, and I ask them to do the same," Peppers said. "One of these guys is our next mayor or senator, and one day, I'm going to be able to say I helped teach him or her to read."

Peppers, who works with children at risk of failure, some of whom have yet to learn the alphabet, abandoned his plans for an easygoing retirement in deference to his wife. She decided she wanted more out of life than decorating the house and staring at the walls.

"We did that for two years," Marge Peppers said. "That was enough sitting around the house for me."

Retirement was a perfect time to launch a new career as an elementary reading specialist, she said. Though dismayed that it will take more than two years of study at UNLV to be certified as a teacher, Marge isn't wasting any time getting experience.

In her search for scholarships, she accidentally dialed the private line for the director of the Corporation for National Service and stumbled onto AmeriCorps.

AmeriCorps was initiated by President Clinton as a domestic Peace Corps in 1993. It is a public-private industry partnership that is administered by the corporation.

Critics call it paid volunteerism, but advocates say it fills a void left by inadequate state and federal funding.

AmeriCorps members are charged with helping to meet critical needs in the areas of public safety, education, human needs and the environment.

Participants in AmeriCorps receive a stipend and a scholarship, depending on how many hours they participate, of up to $4,725 for those who work at least 1,700 hours during their year of service.

The Peppers are working part-time under an AmeriCorps program run by the Clark County School District, and they will earn scholarships of $2,362.50 for 900 hours of service, for which they receive an hourly wage of $6.30.

Marge plans to pay for her schooling with the funds, and Lawrence plans to let the scholarship go to other students taking part in the program.

At 59, he said his days in class are over. Marge, who declined to give her age, said her days have just begun.

AmeriCorps participants nationwide work as tutors in schools, assist crime victims, recruit and train volunteers, renovate low-income housing, help homebound senior or people with disabilities, restore national parks and coastlines, develop community-based health care programs, establish credit unions in low-income communities and provide relief in areas affected by natural disasters.

The motto is "Getting Things Done," and the program is designed for participants to help their community while earning educational awards to pay back student loans, finance college, graduate school or vocational training.

Some are skeptical that the right things are being done.

"It's basically that all these jobs are unproductive, there's no demand and the cost of providing the jobs are higher than private sector jobs," said UNLV economics Professor Hans Herman Hoppe.

Hoppe, a free market economist, contended that AmeriCorps positions compete with people who are in the regular job market.

"They are being driven out of business because some of these people (in AmeriCorps) are subsidized by the government," said Hoppe, who called it a "governmental boondoogle."

Of the professed needs being met by participants, he countered, "People have lots of needs in life. Whether this does someone some good is of no consequence. The question is should this money be used for this or other things. Things for which people are willing to pay should be produced. If they are not willing to pay (for such programs), they should not be subsidized."

Carol Tipton, who handles federal programs for the school district, insists the program is effective and beneficial.

"It's not meant to compete against others in the work force, because these jobs are temporary and the people are obviously not in it for the money, but the experience," Tipton said. "Remember, AmeriCorps is a commitment to community service."

Fifty-four local AmeriCorps participants were sworn in during a ceremony Friday. They will be employed part-time with the school district and the Clark County Parks and Recreation Department. The school district receives a matching grant from the federal government for their salaries.